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Yoga is, no doubt, a healthy routine for a healthy lifestyle. Regular practice of Yoga helps to keep the body strong and immune to many diseases (NCBI). There are also numerous other benefits of yoga like prevention and effective management of psychological disorders. Yoga is also found to have therapeutic effects, thus improving the quality of life.
Yoga has been gaining popularity these days, thanks to its simplicity and effectiveness. A single asana(pose) can help solve many problems. Yoga also can treat various health problems that are very irritating like indigestion, acid reflux, improper bowel movements and so on. (Research Gate) They may also be a symptom of another underlying problem and need due attention.
Improving Digestive Disorders through Yoga
Before getting into this, we shall first see what yoga does to the digestive system.
What does Yoga Do?
Some yoga poses help in strengthening the trunk (where most digestive organs are situated) and helps in better digestion. Better digestion means easier processing of food, which in turn means more energy being released, plus better elimination of wastes from the body.
Now, we shall jump straight into the yoga poses.
1. Half King of the Fish Pose
This pose helps treat pain in the liver area in addition to improved digestion. The twist helps in cleansing the digestive system.
- Sit with your feet stretched out and cross your right leg on your left one.
- Fold your right knee and stretch your torso by turning to your right as much as possible.
2. Wind Relieving Posture
This pose is great to treat a sluggish digestive system or gastritis.
- Start from lying on your back with your knees folded and your heels flat on the floor.
- Now, slowly inhale and bring your knees and head closer.
- Hold for a few seconds and slowly release by exhaling. Best time to do this pose is before bed.
3. Triangle Pose
This Pose is very effective in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome(NCBI). It puts pressure on the colon stimulating movement so that bowels are easily eliminated.
- Start by standing with your legs apart (about 60 degrees apart).
- Let the left foot be straight and rotate the right foot outside by about 45 degrees.
- Stretch both your hands out and slowly bend sideways to put your right hand beside your right foot, raising your other arm above your head.
- Now twist your torso to the other side by exhaling and shift the position of your hands before repeating this with the other foot.
4. Downward Facing Dog
- Start with the plank pose and slowly, inhale and shift your weight back towards your feet.
- Create an upside down ‘V’ by stretching your hands and legs.
- This helps in massaging your intestines and easing the bowel movement.
5.Seated Forward Bend
- Sit on a mat with your legs stretched and slowly bend forward and hold your feet.
- Now, try to touch your head to your knees.
- Hold in this position for ten counts and slowly come to the starting position.
You may extend the number of counts as you practice. This pose helps ease digestion while stretching your back, which helps in lower back pain treatment.
6. Bow Pose
The Bow Pose is an easy pose apart from treating a fatty liver it also helps massage the intestines by stretching. It is one of the high-temperature yoga poses which, if practiced regularly, help treat obesity. (NCBI)
- Begin by lying on your stomach.
- Then slowly raise your torso and feet at the same time.
- Now hold your feet with your hand shaping your body like a bow.
- Remain in this position as long as you can.
- Slowly release and return to the starting position.
7. Peacock Pose
This pose involves putting pressure on digestive organs while balancing the weight of your entire torso on the arms. It also helps clear the intestines, thus improvising micro-nutrient absorption. (NCBI)
- Kneel on the floor with your knees wide apart. Slowly lean forward and place your palms on the floor firmly with your fingers turned outward.
- Fold your elbows to form a right angle. Burrow your elbows deeply into your belly or below the navel.
- Slowly lift your knees and straighten them.
- Your entire weight should be on your palms and you should feel pressure where your elbows are burrowed.
- Stay in this position for a few counts and then come to the starting position be slowly bending your knees.
Bonus: Corpse Pose
Corpse Pose is the ultimate posture to stimulate healing. Here, you just lie down on your back to rest. This stretches your spine and helps in stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system, which involves the digestive mechanisms of the body.
Lie down and breathe deeply. This helps to breath all the stress out and increase oxygenated blood flow to the digestive organs, thus boosting digestion. This pose is best done at the end of the yoga session.
Tips for a healthy yoga session
A yoga session is just like any other workout session, but there are a few things to be kept in the mind while practising yoga.
1. Never do yoga on a full stomach or an empty stomach.
A full stomach can make you feel heavy and an empty stomach can make you dizzy.
2. Never do Yoga on Floor
Yoga should always be done on a mat, which does not allow the exchange of heat between your body and the floor.
3. Pay attention to breathing
In addition to practising asanas(poses), you should be careful about the inhaling and exhaling. Syncing breath with poses increases the efficiency of the Yoga session.
Along with these try to include healthy and gut-friendly foods like yogurt, green leafy vegetables in your diet and essential oils like peppermint, fennel, ginger etc also help in improving digestion. There are many cheap supplements available in the market for this. Regular Yoga practice and a healthy lifestyle contribute to better life and longevity.
Author Bio
Jessica Smith is an avid reader who enjoys getting lost in the world of books. Holding on to her passion for fitness, She Believes that a healthy diet is a key to healthy living.
